Stanford Football: 3 takeaways from upset loss at home to Utah
By Zach Bigalke
1. Tyler Huntley stepped up big for Utah in a rebound game on the road
Utah suffered a pair of disappointing losses at the end of September, falling to Washington 21-7 at home and then tumbling in the Palouse against Washington State 28-24. In the two games, Tyler Huntley went a combined 32-of-58 for only 256 yards and an interception. Down 0-2 in conference play, Utah’s game against Stanford served as a referendum of sorts for Huntley.
The quarterback came through with flying colors, playing a near-perfect game on Saturday night on the road. Huntley finished 17-of-21 for 199 yards and a touchdown. He added 23 yards on the ground on 10 carries.
Beyond his statistics, though, Huntley kept a calm demeanor for the Utes as they methodically built up a lead and held it against the Cardinal. Even as Stanford pulled within six points in the third quarter, Huntley kept the team level-headed and got the offense producing again. In the process, Utah put up its first 40-point game since the season opener against FCS Weber State.
That could be just the spark that Utah needs to get back on track in the Pac-12 South, and they are back on track to get to the postseason now for the fifth straight season.